Flammable and otherwise hazardous materials play an important role in the everyday lives of most people. Most people encounter flammable materials, such as gasoline, engine oil, and natural gas, without danger. Because the flammable materials are contained, they typically present no problem for those that are nearby.
When the flammable materials become uncontained, however, the materials can injure or kill, such as when the container is damaged and the material escapes. Fire extinguishing systems play a key role in controlling and extinguishing fires. Numerous materials offer various properties for quenching fires and find applications in various types of fire extinguishing systems, including dry powders, liquids, and foams. Most of these materials directly attack the source of the fire. In particular, the materials are intended to directly cool the fire, deprive the fire of fuel or oxygen, or otherwise interfere with the chemical combustion process that sustains the fire.